Studies on the plasma membrane of normal and psoriatic keratinocytes. 5. Lectin binding.

The glycocalyx of epidermal keratinocytes from psoriatic patients has been investigated by means of lectins. Striking changes were found in the levels of glucose and/or mannose (concanavalin A) and of N-acetylglucosamine and/or sialic acid (wheat germ agglutinin) on the surface of cells from the psoriatic lesion. Smaller but significant changes were seen in the clinically uninvolved epidermis of the patient. A marked increase in the affinity of the cell surface for Ulex europus agglutinin (fucose-specific) confirms our previous reports of structural alterations in fucose-containing oligosaccharides in psoriasis.